There are two basic types of catamenial tampons used for feminine hygiene currently available on the market. The first type is a digital tampon which is designed to be inserted into a woman's vagina directly by the user's fingers. The second type is a tampon which is designed to be inserted with the aid of an applicator. Both types are usually made by folding or rolling a loosely associated strip of absorbent material into an elongated shape often referred to as a “softwind.” The softwind is then radially and/or biaxially compressed into a pledget. The pledget may or may not include a cover which will facilitate holding the absorbent material together once compressed. In both types of tampons, a withdrawal string is attached to the absorbent, either before or after compression, to facilitate removal of the tampon from the user's vagina after it has absorbed a certain quantity of body fluid, such as menses, blood, etc.
It has been found that many tampons, both digital as well as those delivered by an applicator, are often unable to prevent premature leakage of body fluid. Premature leakage can result from a number of factors. For example, one factor is that the tampon does not properly fit above the introital region of the vagina. Another example is that the tampon is not shaped correctly to intercept fluid flow through the vaginal canal. Still another example is that the folds and convolutions of the vagina are not all in contact with the tampon and therefore body fluid is able to bypass the tampon.
While various types of tampons exist in the art, there remains a need for a tampon product that helps better prevent leakage of body fluid soon after being inserted into a woman's vagina and provides utilization of the absorbent during use.